HIKE OF THE MONTH

of the month hike SURPRISES Await Hikers Descending 6 Miles into DARK CANYON Along the SPUR CROSS TRAIL Near Clifton

OFFERING NO HINT OF ITS wild side to come, east-central Arizona's Spur Cross Trail begins its nearly 6-mile, 1,800-foot descent to the Spur Cross Ranch in Dark Canyon north of Clifton. The deceptive trail makes an uneventful climb up a ridge through a pine-oak forest for the first half-mile. Then at the ridgetop, it politely shows off rows of mountains to the north and south. Seasoned Arizona hikers might consider these panoramic views typical, unless they know a bit about what went on in those distant spots.

"If you look to the north at the bluffs, you can see caves. Usually, the caves around here were occupied by Indians," says Bobby Gomez, a former rancher who lives in the area.

"I got to looking around in one place," Gomez recalls, "and I heard a metallic sound when I kicked a rock. I dug around the rock and found an old coffeepot and a passbook from the Arizona Copper Company, which operated in the area back in about 1880."

The Spur Cross doesn't show its truepersonality until it bottoms out on the first descent at mile 1. Breaking free from its evergreen cocoon, thepath lands in a bald rock basin where dwarf juniper trees and needle-tipped Parry's agaves appear as if they were a vegetative afterthought. Radical landscape shifts like this become a habit with the Spur Cross Trail. Rock cairns guide you across this peculiar basin, then offer handholds as the route scrambles across a terraced downslope. After a quarter-mile, the path makes another quick change, this time slogging the next three-quarters of a mile up a steep slope and contouring the mountain just below its peak to a vista of erosion-carved bluffs.

Enormous boulders frame a showy panorama along the trail as it leads to its next surprise - a sudden drop into a series of bluffs. In keeping with its untamed nature, the trail steps down the bluffs' smooth ledges, then starts a mile-long skid down a south-facing slope to a saddle. Springtime hikers see a nice display of wildflowers, including western wallflowers, verbena, Indian paintbrushes, banana yuccas, phacelias and desert onions. Another saddle and a brief uphill section around a cone-shaped mountain bring the trail back to a downhill climb.

At about mile 4, the trail levels out under a series of bluffs and stares south into what locals have dubbed Cottonwood Canyon. The gorge's conglomeration of ruddy spires and pinnacles makes a dramatic presentation.

By mile 5.4, the trail descends into Dark Canyon, where the Spur Cross Ranch stands. All that remains of the homestead, built about a century ago, is a dilapidated wooden house, a small root cellar and a couple of corrals. Routefinding skills help hikers connect the cairns stacked atop the sprawling section of bedrock that slopes toward the canyon. The trail then slides down the last quarter-mile along the southern canyon wall while eyeing the northern wall, held up by large hoodoos, all the way down to the canyon floor. In the fall, the leaves of the sycamore trees here look as if they've been dipped in golden honey. Once in Dark Canyon, hikers with enough time (and energy to make the nearly 6-mile climb out) explore the red rock cliffs farther up. Some claim the canyon's name was inspired by places where it is so deep and narrow that sunlight never seeps in. During Prohibition, a moonshiner ran a still in the canyon. To this day, they say, his "white lightning" and the money he made from it lie hidden in these shadowy depths.

Preservation laws prohibit disturbing artifacts, so if you find Indian relics or cowboy gear-or the old moonshiner's cache - let them lie. And don't sample the hooch. All Our latest outdoors book, Arizona Hiking: Urban Trails, Easy Paths & Overnight Treks features a trail mix ranging from urban-area preserves to the Grand Canyon. The book brims with how-to and where-to information on more than 70 hikes, plus 120 color photos. To order ($16.95 plus shipping and handling) call LOCATION: Approximately 220 miles east of Phoenix. GETTING THERE: From Phoenix, take U.S. Route 60 east through Globe, then continue east on U.S. Route 70 to Safford. Take U.S. 70 about 8 miles east of Safford, then turn northeast onto U.S. Route 191. Drive 22.4 miles to Three Way and turn north, continuing on U.S. 191. Drive about 27.6 miles through Clifton and Morenci to the trailhead on the west side of the highway, just north of Milepost 170. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: ApacheSitgreaves National Forests, Clifton Ranger District, (928) 687-1301.